The Debate The Debate Cabernet Franc Sleeping Lady Vineyard 2018 750ml

Blackcurrants, sandalwood, nutmeg and pine needles on the nose. Walnuts and tobacco, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Powerful, yet retains freshness. Pretty, fresh-herb highlights to the fruit. This needs a few years. Drink from 2024.

From a beautiful site on the western benches of the Mayacamas, this impressively made and balanced wine bursts in violet and dried herb, with lengthy tannin and integrated oak. Blue and red fruit present as both succulent and softly layered, with a lasting impression of cardamom and dark chocolate.

The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Cabernet Franc Sleeping Lady Vineyard opens with fragrant scents of wild blueberries, red currant jelly and kirsch, with nuances of dried lavender, pencil shavings and cardamom plus a touch of dusty soil. Full-bodied, the densely packed palate delivers mouth-coating red berry and floral layers with loads of blue fruit accents, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

This shows a solid, packed core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors that have a strong tug of dark earth throughout as well. Offers nice tobacco and singed cedar accents through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2030. 501 cases made.